World English Bible · Under Rome
Philippians 1
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and , servants of , to all in Christ who are at , with the overseers and servants: to you and peace from and . I thank my whenever I remember you, always in every request of mine on behalf of you all, making my requests with joy, for your partnership in furtherance of the from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of . It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in , because both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the , you all are partakers with me of . For is my , how I long after all of you in the of Christ . This I , that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of which are through , to the and of . Now I to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the , so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ, and that most of the brothers in , being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will. The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the . What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice. For I know that this will turn out to my through your prayers and the supply of of , according to my earnest and , that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by . For to me to live is Christ, and to is gain. But if I live on in , this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don't know what I will choose. But I am hard pressed between the two, having the to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Yet to in is more needful for your sake. Having this confidence, I know that I will , yes, and with you all for your progress and joy in the , that your boasting may abound in Christ in me through my with you again. Only let your way of life be worthy of the of Christ, that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one , with one striving for the of the ; and in nothing frightened by the , which is for them a proof of , but to you of , and that from . Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to in him, but also to suffer on his behalf, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.
A public domain modern English translation, free to read and share. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
Christians read this chapter differently
- What happens to a person between death and the resurrection? · Philippians 1:23
Every view at its strongest, with who holds it and what it has to answer for.
The world at this moment · Under Rome, 63 BC to AD 100 ›
Judea as a client kingdom and then a province. Roads, garrisons, taxes, crucifixion, and a common Greek language that let a message travel the empire faster than any before it.
- Rome
- The republic tears itself apart in civil war and comes out as an empire under Augustus. What follows is two centuries of relative peace across the whole Mediterranean, enforced by legions and paid for by taxes, with safe roads and safe sea lanes. Every one of Paul's journeys depends on that.
- Judea
- Governed first through Herod the Great, a client king of enormous ability and enormous brutality who rebuilds the temple into one of the wonders of the ancient world, then directly by Roman prefects. Crucifixion is the standard penalty for sedition and is used often and publicly.
- The wider world
- Greek is spoken from Spain to Syria, which means a letter written in Corinth can be read in Rome without translation. Jewish communities already exist in most major cities, which is where the first Christian preaching lands. Mystery religions, imperial cult, and philosophy all compete in the same marketplace.
- Further afield
- The Han dynasty rules China and trades silk westward along routes that touch the Roman world at second hand. In Britain the Roman conquest begins within a decade of the crucifixion.